Prince Rahim al-Hussaini Aga Khan (; born 12 October 1971), known as the Aga Khan V (), is a religious leader, businessman, and socialite best known as the 50th hereditary

Imam Imam (; , '; : , ') is an Islamic leadership position. For Sunni Islam, Sunni Muslims, Imam is most commonly used as the title of a prayer leader of a mosque. In this context, imams may lead Salah, Islamic prayers, serve as community leaders, ...

of the Shia Nizari Isma'ili Muslims who claim descent from

Muhammad Muhammad (8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious and political leader and the founder of Islam. Muhammad in Islam, According to Islam, he was a prophet who was divinely inspired to preach and confirm the tawhid, monotheistic teachings of A ...

through his daughter,

Fatima Fatima bint Muhammad (; 605/15–632 CE), commonly known as Fatima al-Zahra' (), was the daughter of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and his wife Khadija. Fatima's husband was Ali, the fourth of the Rashidun caliphs and the first Shia imam. ...

, and his cousin and son-in-law,

Ali Ali ibn Abi Talib (; ) was the fourth Rashidun caliph who ruled from until his assassination in 661, as well as the first Shia Imam. He was the cousin and son-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Born to Abu Talib ibn Abd al-Muttalib an ...

. Today, the Ismailis are the only Shi'i community who are led by a living and present hereditary Imam. He is the second of the

Aga Khan IV Prince Karim al-Husseini (13 December 1936 – 4 February 2025), known as the Aga Khan IV, was the 49th Imamah, imam of Imamate in Nizari doctrine, Nizari Isma'ilism from 1957 until his death in 2025. He inherited the Imamate in Nizari doctrine ...

's four children, and succeeded his father as per his testament, upon his death on 4 February 2025, at his palace in Lisbon. He is also known by the religious title ''Mawlānā Hazar Imām'' (the present Imam) by his followers. He is the fifth Nizari imam to hold the title

Aga Khan Aga Khan (; ; also transliterated as ''Aqa Khan'' and ''Agha Khan'') is a title held by the Imamate in Nizari doctrine, Imām of the Nizari Isma'ilism, Nizari Isma'ilism, Ismāʿīli Shia Islam, Shias. The current holder of the title is the ...

Early life and education

Prince Rahim Aga Khan was born on 12 October 1971, in

Geneva Geneva ( , ; ) ; ; . is the List of cities in Switzerland, second-most populous city in Switzerland and the most populous in French-speaking Romandy. Situated in the southwest of the country, where the Rhône exits Lake Geneva, it is the ca ...

, Switzerland. He is the eldest son and second oldest of three children born to the

(Prince Karim Al-Husseini) and his first wife Princess Salimah Aga Khan (née Sarah Croker-Poole), a British national. Prince Rahim was educated in the United States, receiving his secondary education at

Phillips Academy Andover Phillips Academy (also known as PA, Phillips Academy Andover, or simply Andover) is a Private school, private, Mixed-sex education, co-educational college-preparatory school for Boarding school, boarding and Day school, day students located in ...

, Massachusetts (1990), and graduating from

Brown University Brown University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. It is the List of colonial colleges, seventh-oldest institution of higher education in the US, founded in 1764 as the ' ...

with a bachelor's degree in

comparative literature Comparative literature studies is an academic field dealing with the study of literature and cultural expression across language, linguistic, national, geographic, and discipline, disciplinary boundaries. Comparative literature "performs a role ...

in 1995. In 2006 he completed graduate studies in management and administration in

Barcelona Barcelona ( ; ; ) is a city on the northeastern coast of Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second-most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within c ...

, Spain, at the

IESE Business School IESE Business School is the Catholic Church, Catholic graduate business school of the University of Navarra. It was established in Barcelona in 1958 by Opus Dei. From 1963, in collaboration with Harvard Business School, it offers a two-year Maste ...

University of Navarra The University of Navarra is a private Catholic research university located on the southeast border of Pamplona, Navarre, Spain. It was founded in 1952 by Saint Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer, the founder of '' Opus Dei'', as a corporat ...

. Based in Geneva, Switzerland Prince Rahim has been actively involved for many years in the governance of the

Aga Khan Development Network The Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) is a network of private, non-denominational development agencies founded by the Aga Khan, with the primary focus of improving the quality of life in different regions of Asia and Africa. The network focuse ...

(AKDN), where as of 2020 he chaired the AKDN Environment and Climate Committee. As of 2019, Prince Rahim sat on either the Board or Executive Committee for several of the AKDN's agencies and affiliated structures, including the

Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development SA is a Swiss for-profit entity and international development finance institution which invests in countries of East Africa, West Africa, Central Asia, and South Asia. It is based in Geneva, Switzerland. I ...

, and the Aga Khan University Foundation. In 2010, he established the Aga Khan Brown Workshop series at the

Watson Institute The Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs, soon to be renamed Watson School for International and Public Affairs, is an interdisciplinary research center at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. Its mission is to promote a ...

Ascension to The Ismaili Imamat

The Ismaili Imamat is a hereditary office in succession from Hazrat Ali, the first Shia Imam, the cousin and son-in-law of Muhammad, who was married to Hazrat Bibi Fatimat-az-Zahra, Muhammad's daughter and only surviving child. Pursuant to the passing of

and the unsealing of his Last Will and Testament at The Diwan, Lisbon, Portugal, his eldest son, Prince Rahim al-Hussaini was named the 50^th hereditary Imam (spiritual leader) of the Shia Ismaili Muslims. In the historical tradition of Shia Ismailis, succession to Imamat is by way of ''nass'' (divine designation), it being the absolute prerogative of the Imam-of-the-Time to appoint his successor from amongst any of his male descendants.

Ismaili Community

The Shia Imami Ismaili Muslims, commonly known as the Ismailis, belong to the Shia branch of Islam. The Shia form one of the two major interpretations of Islam, the Sunni being the other. Ismaili Community is the second-largest Shiʿa community in the world. The Ismailis live in over 35 different countries, mainly in Central, East and South Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Europe, North America and Australia, and number approximately 12 to 15 million. Like the ''ummah'' (global Muslim community) as a whole, the Ismailis represent a rich diversity of cultures, languages and nationalities. Ismaili traditions fall within four broad geographic and ethnographic groups: Arab, Persian, Central Asian, and South Asian. Settlements in Africa comprise primarily Ismailis of South Asian origins, while recent settlements in the West come from all these traditions. The Ismailis are the only Shi'i community who are led by a living and present hereditary Imam. The Ismailis refer to the Aga Khan V by the title “''Mawlānā Hazar Imām'' (the present Imam).”

Personal life

Prince Rahim married Kendra Irene Spears on 31 August 2013 in Geneva. They have two children: Prince Irfan (b. 11 April 2015) and Prince Sinan (b. 2 January 2017). In 2019, he bought a house in Unstad in

Vestvågøy Municipality Vestvågøy is a List of municipalities of Norway, municipality in Nordland Counties of Norway, county, Norway. It is part of the Districts of Norway, traditional district of Lofoten. The administrative centre of the municipality is the List of t ...

, Norway. The couple divorced in February 2022.

Titles, styles and honours

The titles ''Prince'' and ''Princess'' are used by the Aga Khans and their children by virtue of their descent from Shah

Fath Ali Shah Fath-Ali Shah Qajar (; 5 August 1772 – 24 October 1834) was the second Shah of Qajar Iran. He reigned from 17 June 1797 until his death on 24 October 1834. His reign saw the irrevocable ceding of Iran's northern territories in the Caucasus, com ...

of the Persian

Qajar dynasty The Qajar family (; 1789–1925) was an Iranian royal family founded by Mohammad Khan (), a member of the Qoyunlu clan of the Turkoman-descended Qajar tribe. The dynasty's effective rule in Iran ended in 1925 when Iran's '' Majlis'', conven ...

. The title was officially recognised by the British government in 1938. Edwards, Anne (1996). ''Throne of Gold: The Lives of the Aga Khans'', New York: William Morrow. Author Farhad Daftary wrote of how the honorific title ''

'' (from Agha and

Khan Khan may refer to: * Khan (surname), including a list of people with the name * Khan (title), a royal title for a ruler in Mongol and Turkic languages and used by various ethnicities Art and entertainment * Khan (band), an English progressiv ...

) was first given to Hasan Ali Shah (The Aga Khan I) at the age of thirteen when he as the young Imam with his mother decided to go to the Qajar court in Tehran to obtain justice upon his father's death and was eventually successful. "At the same time, the

Qajar The Guarded Domains of Iran, alternatively the Sublime State of Iran and commonly called Qajar Iran, Qajar Persia or the Qajar Empire, was the Iranian state under the rule of the Qajar dynasty, which was of Turkic origin,Cyrus Ghani. ''Iran an ...

monarch bestowed on him the honorific title (

laqab Arabic names have historically been based on a long naming system. Many people from Arabic-speaking and also non-Arab Muslim countries have not had given name, given, middle name, middle, and family names but rather a chain of names. This system ...

) of Agha Khan (also transcribed as Aqa Khan), meaning lord and master...in due course simplified in Europe to Aga Khan". Daftary additionally commented, "The title of Agha Khan remained hereditary amongst his successors." The style of

His Highness Highness (abbreviation HH, oral address Your Highness) is a formal style (manner of address), style used to address (in grammatical person, second person) or refer to (in grammatical person, third person) certain members of a reigning or formerly ...

was formally granted to the Aga Khan V by

King Charles III Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms. Charles was born at Buckingham Palace during the reign of his maternal grandfather, King George VI, and ...

on 10 February 2025. In accordance with long-standing tradition of the Ismaili Imams with the

British Monarch The monarchy of the United Kingdom, commonly referred to as the British monarchy, is the form of government used by the United Kingdom by which a hereditary monarch reigns as the head of state, with their powers regulated by the British con ...

and, to mark the accession of Prince Rahim Al-Hussaini Aga Khan as the fiftieth hereditary Imam of the Shi’a Ismaili Muslim community. Spoken style (second person, e.g. "His Highness" or "Your Highness")

Honours

* : **

Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Pakistan (7 June 2024) *: **

Chief Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of the Golden Heart of Kenya (CGH, 8 March 2025) *: **Symbolic Key to the City of Aswan by the Governor of Aswan (9 February 2025)

Patrilineal descent

Shah Rahim al-Hussaini Aga Khan's patrilineal is the line from which he is descended from father/grandfather to son/grandson. ;Nizari Imams of the Fatimid Dynasty #

Adnan Adnan () is traditionally regarded as the patriarch of the Adnanite Arabs, a major Arab lineage that historically inhabited Northern, Western, Eastern, and Central Arabia. The Adnanites are distinct from the Qahtanite Arabs of Southern Arabia ...

Ma'ad ibn Adnan Maʿadd ibn ʿAdnān (Arabic: مَعَدّ ٱبْن عَدْنَان) was a mythic Arab ancestor, traditionally regarded as the son of Adnan and the forefather of several northern Arab tribes, including Mudar and Rabi'ah. He is considered a key ...

# Nizar ibn Ma'ad # Mudar ibn Nizar # Ilyas ibn Mudar #

Mudrikah ibn Ilyas Mudrikah ibn Ilyas (), was a tribal leader in the era of pre-Islamic Arabia. Mudrikah is the father of Hudhayl, who would be the progenitor of the Banu Hudhayl tribe. He is also one of the ancestors of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Genealog ...

# Khuzayma ibn Mudrika # Kinanah ibn Khuzayma # An-Nadr ibn Kinanah # Malik ibn Al-Nadr #

Fihr ibn Malik 'Fihr ibn Malik' (, ), is counted among the direct ancestors of the Islamic prophet Muhammad who is considered to be the last prophet. In the lineage of Muhammad from Adnan, he precedes Muhammad by eleven generations. Etymology Some writer ...

# Ghalib ibn Fihr #

Lu'ayy ibn Ghalib Lu'ayy ibn Ghalib () was an ancestor of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. He is the son of Ghalib ibn Fihr who lived in Yathrib. History The tradition states that Muhammad was the son of 'Abdullah, b. 'Abdu'I-Muttalib (whose name was Shayba), b ...

Ka'b ibn Lu'ayy Ka'b ibn Lu'ayy () was an ancestor of the Islamic prophet Muhammad in Arabic tradition. Ancestry Ka'b Lu'ayy was born in c. 305, in Mecca, Saudi Arabia to Lu'ayy ibn Ghalib and Ma'wiya bint Ka`b ibn al-Qayn ibn Jasr ibn Shay' Allah ibn Asad ...

Murrah ibn Ka'b Murrah ibn Ka'b () ibn Luay ibn Ghalib ibn Fihr ibn Malik was a man from Quraysh tribe, supposed to have lived in the 4th century. He was the sixth-in-line of Muhammad's grandfathers. He is the common ancestor of all four of Muhammad's grandpare ...

Kilab ibn Murrah Kilab ibn Murrah () (born CE) was an ancestor of the Prophets of Islam, Islamic prophet Muhammad. Specifically, he was his great-great-great-great-grandfather. Biography Kilab was the son of Murrah ibn Ka'b ibn Lu'ayy ibn Ghalib ibn Fihr ibn M ...

b. ca. 372 # Qusay ibn Kilab ca. 400-ca. 480 #

Abd Manaf ibn Qusai Abd Manaf al-Mughirah ibn Qusai (, ''ʿAbd Manāf al-Mughīrah ibn Quṣayy'') was a Quraysh (tribe), Qurayshi and great-great-grandfather of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. His father was Qusai ibn Kilab, Quṣai ibn Kilāb. Abd Manaf's name, mea ...

Hashim ibn Abd Manaf Hāshim ibn ʿAbd Manāf (; ), born ʿAmr al-ʿUlā (), was the great-grandfather of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and the progenitor of the ruling Banu Hashim clan of the Quraysh tribe in Mecca. At some point in his life before his father's deat ...

, ca. 464-ca. 497 #

Abd al-Muttalib Shayba ibn Hāshim (; ), better known as ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib, () was the fourth chief of the Quraysh tribal confederation and grandfather of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Early life His father was Hashim ibn 'Abd Manaf,Muhammad ibn Sa ...

, ca. 497–578 #

Abu Talib ibn Abd al-Muttalib Abu Talib ibn Abd al-Muttalib (; ) was the leader of Banu Hashim, a clan of the Qurayshi tribe of Mecca in the Hejazi region of the Arabian Peninsula. As he was the brother of Abdullah ibn Abd al-Muttalib, Abdullah, the father of the Islamic Proph ...

, 535–619 # 4th Caliph and 1st Imam

Ali ibn Abu Talib Ali ibn Abi Talib (; ) was the fourth Rashidun caliph who ruled from until his assassination in 661, as well as the first Shia Imam. He was the cousin and son-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Born to Abu Talib ibn Abd al-Muttalib an ...

, 601–661, cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet

# 2nd Imam

Husayn ibn Ali Husayn ibn Ali (; 11 January 626 – 10 October 680 Common Era, CE) was a social, political and religious leader in early medieval Arabia. The grandson of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and an Alids, Alid (the son of Ali ibn Abu Talib ibn Abd a ...

, 626–680 # 3rd Imam

Ali ibn Husayn Zayn al-Abidin Ali ibn al-Husayn al-Sajjad (, – 712), also known as Zayn al-Abidin () was the great-grandson of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, and the fourth imam in Shia Islam, succeeding his father, Husayn ibn Ali, his uncle, Hasan ibn Ali, and his gr ...

, 659–713 # 4th Imam

Muhammad al-Baqir Muhammad ibn Ali al-Baqir (; ) was a descendant of the prophets and messengers in Islam, Islamic prophet Muhammad and the fifth of the Twelve Imams, twelve Shia imams, succeeding his father, Ali al-Sajjad, and succeeded by his son, Ja'far al-Sad ...

, 677–733 # 5th Imam

Jafar al-Sadiq Ja'far al-Sadiq (; –765) was a Muslim hadith transmitter and the last agreed-upon Shia Imam between the Twelvers and Isma'ilis. Known by the title al-Sadiq ("The Truthful"), Ja'far was the eponymous founder of the Ja'fari school of Islamic ...

, ca. 702–765 # 6th Imam Ismail ibn Jafar, ca. 722-ca. 762 # 7th Imam Muhammad ibn Ismail, 740–813 # 8th Imam Ahmad al-Wafi, 795/746-827/828 # 9th Imam Muhammad at-Taqi (Isma'ili), 813/814-839/840 # 10th Imam Radi Abdullah, 832–881 # 11th Imam Caliph

Abdullah al-Mahdi Billah Abū Muḥammad ʿAbd Allāh ibn al-Ḥusayn (; 31 July 874 – 4 March 934), better known by his regnal name al-Mahdī biʾllāh (, "The Mahdi, Rightly Guided by God"), was the founder of the Isma'ilism, Isma'ili Fatimid Caliphate, the only major ...

, 873–934 # 12th Imam Caliph Al-Qa'im, 893–946 # 13th Imam Caliph Al-Mansur Billah, 914–953 # 14th Imam Caliph

Al-Mu'izz li-Din Allah Abu Tamim Ma'ad al-Mu'izz li-Din Allah (; 26 September 932 – 19 December 975) was the fourth Fatimid caliph and the 14th Ismaili imam, reigning from 953 to 975. It was during his caliphate that the center of power of the Fatimid dynasty was m ...

, 932–975 # 15th Imam Caliph

Al-Aziz Billah Abu Mansur Nizar (; 10 May 955 – 14 October 996), known by his regnal name as al-Aziz Billah (), was the fifth caliph of the Fatimid dynasty, from 975 to his death in 996. His reign saw the capture of Damascus and the Fatimid expansion into ...

, 955–996 # 16th Imam Caliph

Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah Abu Ali al-Mansur (; 13 August 985 – 13 February 1021), better known by his regnal name al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah (), was the sixth Fatimid caliph and 16th Ismaili imam (996–1021). Al-Hakim is an important figure in a number of Shia Ism ...

, 985–1021 # 17th Imam Caliph Ali az-Zahir, 1005–1036 # 18th Imam Caliph

Al-Mustansir Billah Abū Tamīm Maʿad al-Mustanṣir biʾllāh (‎; 2 July 1029 – 29 December 1094) was the eighth Fatimid Caliph from 1036 until 1094. He was one of the longest reigning Muslim rulers. His reign was the twilight of the Fatimid state. The st ...

, 1029–1094 # 19th Imam Nizar al-Mustafa, 1045–1095 # 20th Imam Ali Al-Husayn Al-Hadi, 1076–1132 # 21st Imam Al-Muhtadi, Muhammad I, 1106–1157 # 22nd Imam Al-Qahir, Hasan I, 1126–1162 # 23rd Imam Hassan II of Alamut (also referred to as 'Alā Zikrihi-s-Salām), 1142/1145-1166 # 24th Imam Muhammad II of Alamut, 1148–1210 # 25th Imam

Hassan III of Alamut Jalāl al-Dīn Ḥasan III () (1187–1221), son of Nūr al-Dīn Muḥammad II, was the 25th Nizari Isma'ili Imām. He ruled from 1210 to 1221. His life He was born to the 24th Imam and a Sunni mother. Jalal al-Din Hassan claimed to have ...

, 1187–1221 # 26th Imam

Muhammad III of Alamut ʿAlāʾ al-Dīn Muḥammad III (; 1211–1255), more commonly known as ʿAlāʾ al-Dīn (), son of Jalāl al-Dīn Ḥasan III, was the 26th Nizāri Isma'ilism Imām. He ruled the Nizari Ismaili state from 1221 to 1255. By some accounts, he w ...

, 1211–1255 # 27th Imam Rukn al-Din Khurshah, ca. 1230-1256/1257 # 28th Imam Shams al-Din (Nizari), 1257–1310 # 29th Imam Qasim Shah, 1310–1368 # 30th Imam Islam Shah, d. 1424 # 31st Imam Muhammad ibn Islam Shah, d. 1464 # 32nd Imam Ali Shah Qalandar, al-Mustansir Billah II, d. 1480 # 33rd Imam Abd-us-Salam Shah, d. 1494 # 34th Imam Abbas Shah Gharib, al-Mustansir Billah III, d. 1498 # 35th Imam Abuzar Ali Nur Shah, d. ca. 1509 # 36th Imam

Murād Mīrzā Murād Mīrzā (‎; 1509-1514?-1574) was the 36th Imam of the Nizari Isma'ili Shi'a Muslim community. He succeeded his father Abu Dharr Ali, upon his death in 1509, at Anjudan. A politically active Imam, Murad Mirza had a large following. ...

, d. 1574 # 37th Imam Dhu-l-Fiqar Ali Zulfiqar Ali, Khalilullah I, d. 1634 # 38th Imam Nur al-Din Ali, d. 1671 # 39th Imam Ali, Khalilullah II, d. 1680 # 40th Imam Shah Nizar II, d. 1722 # 41st Imam Sayed Ali, d. ca. 1736 # 42nd Imam Al-Hassan Ali Beg, d. ca. 1747 # 43rd Imam Sayed Jafar, Al-Qasim Ali, d. ca. 1756 # 44th Imam Abū-l-Hasan ʻAlī, d. 1792 # 45th Imam Shah Khalilullah III, 1740–1817 # 46th Imam Hasan Ali Shah,

Aga Khan I Prince Hasan Ali Shah (; 1804 – 12 April 1881), known as Aga Khan I (), was the 46th hereditary imam of the Nizari Isma'ilis. He served as the governor of Kerman and a prominent leader in Iran and later in the Indian subcontinent. He was t ...

, 1804–1881 # 47th Imam Aqa Ali Shah,

Aga Khan II Prince Aqa Ali Shah (; 1830 – 17 August 1885), known as Aga Khan II (), was the 47th hereditary imam of the Nizari Isma'ili Muslims. A member of the Iranian royal family, he became the Imam in 1881. He was the second Nizari Imam to hold the ti ...

, 1830–1885 # 48th Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah,

Aga Khan III Sir Sultan Muhammad Shah (2 November 187711 July 1957), known as Aga Khan III, was the 48th Imamate in Nizari doctrine, imam of the Nizari Isma'ili, Ism'aili branch of Shia Islam. He was one of the founders and the first permanent president of ...

, 1877–1957 # Prince Sayyid

Aly Khan Prince Aly Salomone Khan (13 June 1911 – 12 May 1960), known as Aly Khan, was an Ismaili sayyid, socialite and ambassador for Pakistan. He was the son of the Aga Khan III, and the father of Aga Khan IV. A socialite, racehorse owner and jock ...

, 1911–1960 # 49th Imam Shah Karim Shah,

, 1936–2025 # 50th Imam Shah Rahim Al-Hussaini,

Aga Khan V Prince Rahim al-Hussaini Aga Khan (; born 12 October 1971), known as the Aga Khan V (), is a religious leader, businessman, and socialite best known as the 50th hereditary Imam of the Shia Nizari Isma'ili Muslims who claim descent from Muhamm ...

, 1971-Present

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Aga Khan 05 1971 births Living people People from Geneva Noorani family Aga Khans 20th-century Ismailis 21st-century imams 21st-century Islamic religious leaders 21st-century Ismailis Qajar dynasty Phillips Academy alumni Brown University alumni Swiss people of Iranian descent Swiss people of Italian descent Swiss people of English descent Swiss Muslims Ismaili imams Aga Khan Development Network Recipients of the Nishan-e-Pakistan 21st-century Swiss people 20th-century Swiss people